The controversy did not abate. Opposition parties on the right and left are calling on Monday for the resignation of Education Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, who they say is guilty of "lies" about her children's private schooling. Promoted last week to the Ministry of Education, the minister immediately had to justify the enrolment of her sons in a prestigious private school in Paris. This is due to "packages of hours that are not seriously replaced," she explained. False, according to the newspaper Libération, which explains this choice by a desire to make the eldest of the siblings skip a class.
"A lie that disqualifies her," said on franceinfo the coordinator of France Insoumise, Manuel Bompard. "The days go by and the lies are piling up," Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel also reacted in a message on X (ex-Twitter), adding that "it is time to resign."
Days go by and Ms. Oudéa-Castera's lies pile up.
Teachers are not doormats on which she can wipe her feet.
It's time to resign, Minister. https://t.co/yChFl6ZD4F
— Fabien Roussel (@Fabien_Roussel) January 15, 2024
Just like the Green MP Sandrine Rousseau, who wrote on the same social network: "We have to leave now, Madam."
Same criticism from the far right
At the other end of the political spectrum, National Rally MP Julien Odoul also lashed out at "ministers who blithely lie like Amélie Oudéa-Castéra", judging that she is already "discredited" and "that she should go". Her colleague Jean-Philippe Tanguy insisted on BFMTV and RMC: "If the minister lied, I don't see how she can continue her public action."
Controversy over Amélie Oudéa-Castéra's remarks: for Jean-Philippe Tanguy (@JphTanguy), RN deputy, "if the minister has lied", she must leave her post pic.twitter.com/ANTLyhfxKK
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) January 15, 2024
Questioned, government spokeswoman Prisca Thévenot kicked in touch on France Inter: "I do not know if she lied, I simply say that she explained why her son was educated in the private sector." Just like the leader of the Renaissance deputies, Sylvain Maillard, saying on Sud Radio that Amélie Oudéa-Castéra "was very clear" in explaining "why she wanted to change" from public to private.
Read alsoOudéa-Castéra's remarks: behind the scenes of a first hiccup
The minister, who visited a public school in the 18th arrondissement of Paris on Monday morning without commenting, had not yet reacted to the latest revelations about her.